I don't think of Peter Glenville's Becket (1964) as a particularly "religious" film, even though its title character is Roman Catholic prelate and martyr Thomas Becket.
It is, however, a very political movie, which might amount to the same thing these days.
The film, whose screenplay received an Academy Award, recounts the power dynamic between England's Henry II (Peter O'Toole) and his former chancellor, Archbishop of Canterbury Thomas Becket, played by Richard Burton. The king and Becket were once carousing friends.
In the movie, Becket takes on a different posture after agreeing to become the king's man in the church and help him control powerful bishops. Becket is ordained and elevated, rapidly.
Becket's crisis of conscience over the king's desire to control church leaders leads to a rift between the old friends. At one point before his miserable end, Becket is approached by armed men who threaten to arrest him.
Watching from a window, Henry sees Becket warn soldiers that if they lay a hand on him their souls will be damned. The men retreat. Henry smiles and says to himself, "Well-played, Thomas."
The impasse is brief, the battle of wills continues and Henry eventually exclaims, "Will no one rid me of this meddlesome priest?" It is taken to heart by his guards, who descend upon Becket while he's at mass. Becket's dying words: "Poor Henry."
It is unclear if Becket is speaking spiritually, bemoaning the king's damnation, or is referring to the inevitable war with Holy Mother Church. Henry eventually does public penance for his rashness.
In either case, the picture IS crystal clear that power often rests with those who can make the most compelling argument about the nature of God's will and commands. That might be why the film's script was so celebrated.
We are seeing similar tactics today, in bloody, brutal dispatches and pronouncements about the war in the Middle East. Its defenders are invoking the Almighty. Even as the head of the Roman Catholic Church condemns it repeatedly.
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